1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an LED light bulb, and more particularly to an LED light bulb that can be removably inserted into an LED light strip and used to illuminate at least one translucent portion of a sign, preferably an illuminated aircraft sign.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Hunter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,612 B1, teaches a light emitting diode light strip that includes a rigid hollow tube sized to accommodate a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a positive and negative bus extending the full length of the board. One or more resistors are in contact with the positive bus on one end and a series of light emitting diodes on the other. The diodes are mounted through holes in the board and the anode of the diode is in communication with a resistor while the cathode of the diode contacts an adjacent diode anode connecting them in linked series through traces on the bottom of the circuit board. The end cathode in each series, engages the negative bus forming a predetermined group of diodes electrically coupled to a single resistor on one end and the negative bus on the other. A pair of end caps enclose the tube and an electrical cable is connected through the caps to the busses on the circuit board. A power supply is in contact, through the electrical cable, with the board providing low voltage direct current power through the busses to a predetermined group of light emitting diodes, for illumination of the area surrounding the light strip.
Ziadi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,658, teaches a fiber-optic lighting system is powered by a power supply connected to a high intensity light source which generates a beam of light. A first elongate light guide extends between a first end positioned within the beam of light and a second end positioned adjacent a lamp reflector. A second elongate light guide which is configured to emit light from a side also extends from a first end positioned within the beam of light. An elongate light fixture is positioned along the second light guide for directing light emitted from the side of the light guide.
Loeber et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,051, teaches an emergency sign that includes a body having a top, two spaced apart sides, and a bottom defining a cavity. The sign includes a front cover having an inside surface and cut out portions extending through the cover forming indicia. The sign includes an array of LEDs disposed within the cavity, and a diffuser coupled to the cover and covering the indicia, the diffuser having cut away portions for permitting light from the light source to reflect off of the inside surface of the front cover. The diffuser may include pigment therein, which pigment is color matched to correspond to the wavelength of the light from the light source.
Tung, U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,297, teaches a ruminant sign that includes a base having a pair of opposed casings and a image plate made of transparent acrylic resin and engaged with the base. The base has a circuit board with a plurality of illuminators (LEDs) disposed therein. A front face and a rear face of the image plate have a number of display areas defined thereon by peripheral grooves of pictures or words. Each display area has a plurality of reflective surfaces formed therein in directions non-parallel to the beam directions of the illuminators. With this arrangement, each display area of the image plate will achieve a uniform intensity.
Dimmick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,679, teaches a sign having at least one light pipe, each light pipe made of light-transmitting material. The at least one light pipe is arranged to form a predetermined message or design, each light pipe having at least two ends and carrying at least one light source proximate at least one end, each light source directed towards another end of the light pipe in the direction of extension of the light pipe, a portion of the outer surface of each light pipe being translucent permitting light to exit therefrom, the sign further carrying electrical circuit means for energizing each light source, and means for mounting the at least one light pipe to form the predetermined message or design; whereby energizing of each light source causes light to be transmitted in each light pipe, light therefrom emerging through the translucent outer surface of each light pipe for the display of the predetermined message or design.
Other references of interest include Grammas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,869, and Henderson, U.S. D331,980.
The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.
The prior art teaches various forms of LED bulbs; however, the prior art does not teach a light bulb that includes a plurality of LEDs and a flange that enables the light bulb to be removably mounted on a light strip. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.